Recreational utility vehicles (RUVs) generally have an open cockpit area with side-by-side seating. They are often referred to as side-by-side All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs).
The open cockpit area is protected by a roll cage disposed above the cockpit area. The driver and the passenger enter and exit (ingress and egress) the vehicle through lateral passages, as is traditionally done on automobiles.
For the safety of the driver and passenger, each seat of these vehicles is provided with safety belts. In some vehicles, the lateral passages are also provided with movable or removable covers to at least partially close the passages when the driver and passenger are in the vehicle. The covers can be rigid or flexible.
Although the vehicle manufacturers and other organizations may mandate and/or encourage the use of the belts and covers, some people nonetheless do not make use of these.
Therefore, there is a need for a system that would contribute to further incentivize drivers and passengers to use at least their safety belts.